Hamlet TG - Penguin Group

A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSIC EDITION OF 

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S 

HAMLET 

By PATTI C. McWHORTER, Cedar Shoals High School, Athens, GA 

SERIES EDITORS: 

W. GEIGER ELLIS, ED.D., UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, EMERITUS 

and 

ARTHEA J. S. REED, PH.D., UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, RETIRED

A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet 2 

INTRODUCTION 

The enigmatic qualities of Shakespeare’s Prince Hamlet make this drama an appropriate choice for high school students 

who can evaluate and analyze the complexity of Hamlet’s situation, his motivations, and the choices and decisions he 

makes. Students are immediately intrigued by the play, especially if teachers introduce them to the complicated dilemma 

of Prince Hamlet before they begin reading. Once students are aware of Hamlet’s tragic story, they are compelled to learn 

what he decides to do and the consequences of his decisions. 

Hamlet is a monument of Shakespeare’s talent, and as such. Teachers have the exciting opportunity to proceed in infinite 

directions in their teaching of the work. The most meaningful focus, however, is to be found in studying the character of 

Prince Hamlet. As a young man, he is not much older than many of the teenagers who will the play. He is uncertain about 

how to deal with the loss of his father, confused about what his actions should be, and angry at most of the adults in his 

life. Students of all ability levels should be encouraged to interact with Hamlet on personal and analytical levels, providing 

a multi-dimensional reading experience. 

Included in this guide are activities for students of varying abilities, background on the play, an act-by-act synopsis, 

suggestions for organizing instruction, a list of journal writing topics, discussion questions, and activities for use before, 

during and after reading the play. 

HAMLET: AN OVERVIEW 

ACT I 

ACT II 

SYNOPSIS 

Most of the action of play occurs in and around the castle at Elsinore in Denmark. King Hamlet is dead, and Prince 

Hamlet has returned to Denmark from school in Wittenberg, Germany, only to discover that Queen Gertrude, his mother, 

has married his Uncle Claudius. Claudius has had himself crowned king. 

Hamlet is informed that what is apparently the ghost o f his dead father has appeared to the palace guards (I, ii). When 

he later confronts the ghost, Hamlet learns that Claudius murdered his father and hastily married Queen Gertrude (I, v). 

Throughout the play, the ongoing border disputes and political machinations amongst Denmark, Norway, and Poland 

serve as a backdrop for the action in the Danish court (I, ii; II, ii; IV, iv; V, ii). Prince Fortinbras, whose father was killed 

by Hamlet’s father, is a man of action, and his character serves as a foil to the contemplative Prince Hamlet. 

Polonius (Lord Chamberlain), his son Laertes and daughter Ophelia are also important characters in this drama. Polonius 

and Laertes are concerned about Ophelia’s romantic involvement with Prince Hamlet and caution her against such a 

relationship. Polonius also provides fatherly advice to Laertes as he leaves for Paris (I, iii). 

Hamlet’s emotional turmoil over his father’s murder has left him in a visibly agitated condition, which some members of 

the court have interpreted as madness. Claudius and Gertrude, concerned for his welfare, summon two of Hamlet’s oldest 

friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, in the hopes that they can learn what is troubling him. (II, ii). Hamlet is 

immediately skeptical about their surprise visit. 

Anxious to confirm his own suspicions regarding the source of Hamlet’s trouble, Polonius arranges a meeting between 

Ophelia and Hamlet, as he is convinced that Hamlet’s love for Ophelia is the cause of his suffering (II, ii). When Polonius 

approaches Hamlet, Hamlet answers his questions although he believes Polonius to be a foolish old man. 

When a group of players arrives at the Danish court to entertain, Hamlet arranges for them to perform The Murder of 

Gonzago with the addition of lines Hamlet has written. What Hamlet hopes is to prove Claudius’s guilt in the murder by 

watching his reaction to the drama the players will stage (II, ii).


ACT III 

ACT IV 

ACT V 

When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report back to Claudius that they have no explanation for Hamlet’s strange behavior, 

Claudius decides to eavesdrop with Polonius on the meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia. Although Hamlet treats 

Ophelia irrationally, Claudius is suspicious of his behavior and makes plans to sent Hamlet to England (III, i). 

The players perform their drama in which the events portrayed, with Hamlet’s alterations, almost duplicate the 

circumstances surrounding King Hamlet’s death. Hamlet observes that Claudius is visibly upset by the play. When he 

leaves abruptly, Claudius confirms his guilt in the eyes of Hamlet and his friend, Horatio (III, ii). 

Out of concern for Hamlet’s welfare, Queen Gertrude meets privately with her son in her chambers. Polonius, however, 

is eavesdropping behind a wall tapestry. Hamlet’s rebukes cause Gertrude to cry out, and Polonius cries out as well, fearful 

for her welfare. Believing he has heard Claudius, Hamlet stabs through the tapestry, killing Polonius (III, iv). 

Polonius’s death provides Claudius with the opportunity to send Hamlet to England, under the false pretense of 

protecting his life, when in reality, he has asked the King of England to kill Prince Hamlet (IV, iii). Grief-stricken b y their 

father’s death, Laertes and Ophelia solicit Claudius’s assistance in finding his murderer (IV, v). Meanwhile, Hamlet sends 

word to Horatio that he has been taken prisoner by pirates who have returned him to Denmark and asks Horatio to join 

him (IV, vi). In order to remove Hamlet as a threat, Claudius now plans an exhibition duel in which Laertes will use a 

sword tipped with poison (IV, vii). 

Ophelia’s madness and subsequent drowning (IV, v; IV, vii) precipitate a confrontation between Laertes and Hamlet at 

her grave (V, I), but Claudius intervenes, privately assuring Laertes that his revenge will come in the duel which has been 

arranged. Hamlet seals the fate of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern by substituting another letter in the envelope which 

originally contained his own death orders, requesting that the King of England put them to death (V, ii). In spite of 

Horatio’s concern, Hamlet agrees to the duel with Laertes and appears before the court as requested. Not only does 

Claudius poison the tip of the sword, he also offers Hamlet a drink from a poison cup. Instead, Gertrude drinks from the 

cup and swoons from the effect of the poison, her dying words warning Hamlet of the plot against him. As the duel 

progresses, Laertes and Hamlet inadvertently exchange swords during a scuffle; consequently, both are mortally wounded, 

although Hamlet manages to fatally wound Claudius as well. 

As the play closes, Fortinbras arrives, victorious over Poland, and the dying Hamlet names him as the new king. Fortinbras 

pays tribute to Hamlet and arranges for an appropriate burial. 

ELEMENTS OF TRAGEDY IN HAMLET 

By Shakespeare’s time, the characteristics of tragedy in drama had been redefined. In the plays of the early Greeks, the 

tragic hero was a noble man who rose to the heights of success only to be plummeted to defeat and despair by his own 

tragic flaw, or hamartia. The plot structure in these early tragedies was relatively straightforward; the motive of the 

dramatist was to elicit pity and terror from the audience through empathy with the tragic hero. 

What once had been a relatively simple form was gradually altered by playwrights to allow for more depth in 

characterization, more flexibility in plot structure, and the element of comic relief. Hamlet’s situation, for example, is 

considered a tragic one although it differs from the relatively simple plots found in the earlier Greek tragedies. He is a 

nobleman, revered by his countrymen, who strives to alter the world around him. Ultimately, he must forfeit his own life 

to see justice done. The plot that unfolds in Shakespeare’s drama includes politics, murder, and domestic strife, but still 

evokes pity and terror in the audience, precisely as intended by the early tragedians. 

Students can analyze the elements of tragedy in Hamlet, comparing and contrasting Prince Hamlet’s plight with that of 

tragic heroes in Greek tragedies and in modern tragedies. Suggested modern tragedies for such a comparison include 

Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, and Mourning Becomes Electra, by Eugene O’Neill. 

Note: More detailed information about Elizabethan tragedy can be found in the Introduction by Edward Hubler in the 

Signet Classic edition of Hamlet.


HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF HAMLET 

Students will be interested to know that the story of Prince Hamlet was not original with Shakespeare’s version. The basic 

plot was found in ancient stories which eventually made their way to Scandinavia, specifically Denmark. The Signet 

Classic edition contains more specific background on the origins of this story in "A Note on the Sources of Hamlet " and 

in Sylvan Barnet’s prefatory remarks. Barnet also includes more general information about Shakespeare, the Elizabethan 

theater, and the various texts of Hamlet. Suggested teaching strategies utilizing this information are included in the 

activities for use before reading the play. 

SHAKESPEARE’S LANGUAGE 

The enormous contribution which William Shakespeare has made to the English language is evidenced in the volumes of 

scholarly endeavor devoted to his body of works and in the direct and indirect allusions to his words in contemporary 

language and culture. A richness in imagery and an ability to tap the depths of meaning in every word make the reading 

of a Shakespearean play more than memorable. 

Students who read Hamlet after reading other plays by Shakespeare have often previously studied Elizabethan language 

and have some awareness of the changes which have taken place in word meaning and usage over the centuries. This 

background should serve them well as they become involved in the power of the language of Hamlet. The suggested 

activities which follow are intended to involve students in discovering the historical impact of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and 

appreciating his extraordinary talent. 

ACTIVITIES FOR DISCOVERING AND APPRECIATING SHAKESPEARE’S LANGUAGE 

The imagery in the play which supports the impression of decay and corruption in Denmark is woven throughout the 

speeches and dialogue. Students can be divided into groups, each group assigned a different act and instructed to locate 

as many references to decay and corruption as possible. Students should then explore the context of these references and 

determine to what extent these specific images enhance the overall meaning of the play. (Note: An activity such as this 

will sometimes necessitate a review of figurative language, the terminology and the purpose of literary devices such as 

symbol, metaphor, simile, etc. Teachers should assess the extent to which students need such a review prior to assigning 

this group activity.) 

Groups should share their findings with the class, with all students noting and discussing the pattern of these images as 

they recur throughout the play. 

Structure group research activities devoted to the study of Elizabethan language, its unusual conventions and forms. 

Students can build on prior knowledge or begin new investigations. The publication by Randal Robinson cited at the end 

of this guide is an exceptional collection of classroom activities designed to assist students in understanding Shakespeare’s 

language. 

The most impressive evidence of Shakespeare’s power over the English language, even today, is the abundance of allusions 

to his works which have become permanent fixtures in our language. Students should be challenged to listen and watch 

for these allusions in all forms of media, in the language of people around them, and in the literature they study. A list of 

possibilities follows: 

Absent thee from felicity awhile (V, i) 

All is not well (I, ii) 

The bird of dawning singeth all night long (I, i) 

Brevity is the soul of wit (II, ii) 

Frailty, thy name is woman! (I, ii) 

Give me that man/That is not passion’s slave (III, ii) 

Give thy thoughts no tongue (I, iii) 

How all occasions do inform against me (IV, iv) 

I am sick at heart (I, i) 

I could a tale unfold (I, v)


In my mind’s eye (I, ii) 

It cannot come to good (I, ii) 

It started like a guilty thing (I, i) 

The lady doth protest too much (III, ii) 

Lay not that flattering unction to your soul. (III, iv) 

Leave her to heaven (I, v) 

Like sweet bells jangled, out of tun and harsh (III, i) 

Man delights not me;/nor woman neither (II, ii) 

More honoured in the breach than the observance (I, iv) 

More in sorrow than in anger (I, ii) 

More matter, with less art (II, ii) 

Neither a borrower, nor a lender be (I, iii) 

Not a mouse stirring (I, i) 

Now cracks a noble heart, Good-night, sweet prince, 

And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest? (V, ii) 

O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven (III, iii) 

O my prophetic soul! (I, v) 

The primrose path of dalliance treads 

And recks not his own rede (I, iii) 

The rest is silence (V, ii) 

Rosemary, that’s for remembrance IV, v) 

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune (III, i) 

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. (I, v) 

So much for him (I, ii) 

Sweets to the sweet; farewell! (V, i) 

That it should come to this! (I, ii) 

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, 

Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. (I, v) 

There’s a divinity that shapes our ends (V, ii) 

This too too solid flesh (I, ii) 

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all (III, i) 

‘Tis bitter cold (I, i) 

‘Tis true: ‘tis true ‘tis pity, 

And pity ‘tis ‘tis true (II, ii) 

To be, or not to be: that is the question (III, i) 

To die, to sleep—No more (III, i) 

T’ have seen what I have seen, see what I see! (III, i) 

To sleep; perchance to dream (III, i) 

To thine own self be true (I, iii) 

‘Twas/caviare to the general (II, ii) 

We know what we are, but 

know not what we may be (IV, v) 

What a piece of work is man (II, ii) 

When sorrows come, they come not single spies, 

But in battalions (IV, v) 

Students can write paraphrases of Hamlet’s soliloquies or translate them into contemporary language either as individuals 

or in small groups. These can be "performed" for the class.


SUGGESTIONS FOR ORGANIZING INSTRUCTION 

A motivating introduction and activities designed for all ability levels can make Hamlet accessible to every student. The 

following are suggestions for organizing the instruction for any ability level of student, and then more specific 

recommendations for use with those with advanced and nonacademic ability levels. 

ALL ABILITY LEVELS 

A. Journal writing is an essential part of an English classroom, especially with works of literature. At a glance, teachers can 

readily assess whether a student has read and understood a work. Students should be encouraged or required to write in 

their journals throughout the study of the play, detailing their personal reactions to particular characters or situations or 

writing in response to assigned topics like those below. Have students relate each topic they write on to characters or 

situation in the play. 

Journal Topics 

• How common do you believe the act of revenge is in everyday life? Write about specific incidents, including any in 

which you were involved or have witnessed. 

• Find magazine/newspaper articles, short stories, plays, poems, or novels containing events motivated by revenge. 

How might events have been changed had someone not sought revenge? 

• Characterize yourself as a "thinker" or a "doer." In this respect what character in the play are you most like? How 

would you like to be different, or would you like to be different? 

• Have you or anyone you have known ever seen or claimed to have witnessed some kind of supernatural being? 

Explain the circumstances surrounding the even. Do you believe in the supernatural? Explain. 

• In Act I, scene iii of Hamlet, Polonius gives Laertes a great deal of "fatherly advice" about how to live his life. Look 

at this section and find advice you have heard from your own parents. How valuable is this advice? Have you used 

it? Have you been involved in any situation to which this advice was applicable? 

• To what extent do parents have the right to "spy" or check up on their children? What circumstance might allow or 

prevent this? 

• How are relationships between stepparents and stepchildren generally depicted in fiction or film? Do you have any 

experience with or knowledge of step-relationships? What conflicts and barriers must be overcome? What are the 

advantages, the positive aspects of these relationships? 

• Are parents generally blind to their children’s faults? Why or why not? 

• King Claudius states "Madness in great ones must not unwatched go." (III, i) How is this true in any age? What 

evidence can you find in recent news stories to support this statement? How do societies keep checks and balances 

on their "great ones?" 

• So you know what an "apple polisher" is? Have you every known one or been one yourself? Why do you think people 

do this? How do you feel about it? 

• Have you ever been the victim of unrequited love? How did you feel? Have you ever been the recipient of affection 

from someone whom you did not care about? How did you feel about this situation? 

• Write about a time when you discovered that someone was purposefully plotting against you for some reason. Explain 

the situation—how you felt, how it turned out. 

B. Using small groups in the regular classroom can serve several functions. Groups containing mixed ability levels can work 

on study questions, summarize scenes, prepare presentations, work on projects, and aid each other in deciphering more 

difficult sections of the play. These same groups can also serve as peer groups for various writing activities. 

Group activities should be structured carefully for students on all ability levels. Teachers should provide groups with 

specific directions and expectation for each task, reasonable (but flexible) time limits, and follow-up activities connecting 

group work to the broader objectives for teaching the play.


UPPER-ABILITY LEVELS 

More capable students can be assigned to read the play prior to intensive act-by-act analysis with the teacher. Students 

should keep a reading journal summarizing what they have read, writing down questions about any aspect of the play, and 

responding to the actions of the characters and the plot. 

A second reading of the play is desirable. After the initial reading students may re-read each act, focusing attention on 

specifics through the use of study/discussion questions or group activities. 

LOWER-ABILITY LEVELS 

A. With some students, reading the play aloud and summarizing the major actions scene-by-scene is necessary for 

comprehension. Care must be taken not to cover too much in one-class period. To avoid monotony, other teaching 

strategies such as the following should be used on occasion: 

• Assigning manageable sections of the play to small groups, and having students prepare to read aloud and interpret 

these sections for the class. 

• Viewing a videotaped production of the play prior to studying the written drama, or viewing the play scene-by-scene 

and then summarizing and discussing. 

B. The use of study/discussion questions is appropriate with all levels of students. However, lower-ability students need to 

answer more surface-level comprehension questions before moving to the levels of analysis and synthesis. Such questions 

can establish the essentials of plot, setting, and character. Here are some examples: 

• What characters are present when the play opens? 

• Where are they? 

• What have they seen that is unusual? 

• What do they decide to do? 

Thought-provoking questions worded to promote understanding can be employed as well. These students can become 

equally involved with Hamlet’s dilemma if they are afforded an appropriate entry through engaging questions and 

activities such as those which follow. 

BEFORE READING THE PLAY 

Having students consider some major conflicts in the play prior to reading can help establish a basis on which to build 

their knowledge of the play. Some useful activities might include one or more of the following: 

Journal writing on topics related to the conflicts and events in the play is one way students can become interested and 

involved in the issues and topics in the play. Students should be given the opportunity to share and discuss the ideas they 

express in their journals. (See the topics noted in "Suggesting for Organizing Instruction.") 

Bring in magazine and/or newspaper articles containing examples of people seeking revenge. Students can read these and 

draw parallels between the events in the articles and those in the play. This activity might be done in small groups with a 

follow-up journal writing and class discussion. (The second journal topic included previously asks students to bring in 

examples of the role revenge plays in their lives.) 

Teachers talented at writing scripts might modernize the basic plot line of Hamlet in a simple reader’s theater script, 

perhaps as an afternoon soap opera, and have students present the drama to the class. A follow-up to this activity might 

include a class discussion in which students examine how the plot unfolds. A subsequent writing assignment, in the form 

of a journal entry or a more structured composition, could be appropriate. 

Students might be interested in reading "A Note on the Sources of Hamlet" included in the Signet Classic edition prior 

to studying the play. A succinct background on the origins of the Hamlet story, this information might be summarized 

and presented by the teacher or assigned to a small group for presentation to the class. 

Note: This activity in isolation from one or more of the preceding activities will not allow students to become personally 

involved with the issues of the play, a necessary step for a fuller appreciation and understanding of literature.


AS THE PLAY IS READ 

CONSIDERING MAJOR THEMES 

Through class discussion and other activities, students can discover how Shakespeare develops major themes in the play 

which include: 

• Revenge: Hamlet searches continuously for the answer to the question of whether or not he should avenge his father’s 

death. His concern with right and wrong in religious, moral, and political terms causes him much inner turmoil. 

(Journal Topics 1, 2) 

• Appearance vs. Reality: The play contains many situations in which the surface appearance of things does not always 

match reality. Hamlet struggles to determine who his true friends are; the players in the acting troupe assume new 

identities; Claudius appears to be a true and just king and Gertrude his virtuous queen. (Journal Topics 4, 8, 10, 11) 

• Sanity vs. Insanity: In many ways this conflict is intertwined with the theme of appearance vs. reality. Hamlet’s sanity 

or insanity has baffled critics for years. Even the characters in the play discuss inconsistencies in Hamlet’s behavior, 

sometimes assuming he is really insane, at other times amazed by his clarity of thought. (Journal Topics 3, 9) 

• Decay and Corruption: Among the most powerful images of the play are those which reveal disintegrating situations, 

both in personal terms for Prince Hamlet, and in political terms for Denmark. (Journal Topics 1, 2, 9, 12) 

ACTIVITIES FOR DISCOVERING THEMES 

Assign appropriate journal topics for leading into the discussion of a particular theme as it is evidenced in the play. (See 

above list of themes. 

Provide students with a handout listing themes to be found. Advanced students can be instructed to note specific passages and 

situations that develop these ideas. A simpler approach for less skilled readers is to hand out a list of page numbers where 

important passages related to themes are found and requiring the students to locate the passages and note their significance. 

Organize students into small groups, assigning each group a different theme. Allow time for groups to collaborate on a 

class presentation of this particular theme as it is found in Hamlet. Groups can present the important passages to the class, 

perhaps in the form of a handout or an overhead transparency. They might also include a dramatization and discussion 

of selected passages related to their assigned theme. Groups can develop a list of study questions, both short answer and 

essay, to guide others in discovering this theme in Hamlet. 

Progressing through the Play: In lieu of a list of questions, have students summarize each scene as they read, either in 

writing or orally for the class. As a variation on the reading journal/log, have students make a chart for each scene in which 

they list primary characters, major actions and conflicts, resolutions, significant references to themes, recurring images, 

and questions. After students have read Acts I and II, allow small groups to write modern versions of the significant scenes 

or incidents in the play and present these to the class. 

Using Study/Discussion Questions: Listed by the traditional elements of fiction (character analysis, plot, theme), the 

following study/discussion questions can be used to engage students in class discussion or writing, or small groups of 

students can deal with specific questions and present their observations to the class. 

STUDY/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 

CHARACTER ANALYSIS 

The following phrases might be used to describe the character of Prince Hamlet. How do you think each relates to 

Hamlet’s nature? Refer to the text for support. 

• a victim of circumstance 

• a man incapable of taking action


• an excessively ambitious prince who lusts for power 

• a person of exceptional intellect and intelligence 

• a man in the grip of insanity 

Consider Hamlet’s behavior when he is with each of the following characters. What is revealed about him in his dealings 

with each of these people? 

• Claudius 

• Gertrude 

• Ophelia 

• Horatio 

• Polonius 

• Rosencrantz and Guildenstern 

What developments and/or states of mind do each of Hamlet’s six soliloquies reveal? (I, ii; II, ii; III, i; III, iii; IV, iv) 

How do you explain Hamlet’s inability to act in avenging his father’s death? 

Is Hamlet a likable character? Would you want to be his friend? Explain. 

What questions do you have about the character of Hamlet? What problems do you see in analyzing his character? Do 

you admire Shakespeare’s ability to develop a character, or do you think he leaves too many questions unresolved? 

PLOT 

When the play begins, a major event, the death of King Hamlet has already occurred. How does this affect the reader’s 

understanding of the play? 

What purposes do the subplots of the relationship between Polonius and his children and the political situation with 

Norway and young Fortinbras serve? How is the story of Prince Hamlet and his particular situation reflected in each of 

these subplots? 

Look carefully at each act of the drama. What is the function of each? What important event or situation is developed in 

each act by Shakespeare? 

How does Shakespeare keep his audience apprised of developments outside the primary action of the play? Why are events 

on the ship taking Hamlet to England not portrayed? Find other examples in the play where Shakespeare keeps his readers 

aware of important events, but does so without presenting the action in the drama. Is this appropriate in your opinion? 

Why or why not? 

Did you find the action in the play difficult to follow? Where? What did you find challenging about these sections? 

Consider the dramatic pacing of the play. Does Shakespeare keep the audience or reader involved in the action? How? 

Explain your opinion. 

THEME 

To what extent is Hamlet’s quest for revenge justifiable in terms of the situation presented? Why or why not? 

Find evidence of Hamlet’s religious beliefs. How do these beliefs influence his actions and decisions? 

Examine the characters and events in terms of appearance and reality. Cite examples of things that are not what they seem. 

Find examples of imagery that reveal decay or corruption. What effect do these images have on the reader? How would 

you explain Shakespeare’s inclusion of these images in the play? 

Explain what you think is revealed about human nature in Hamlet. Use characters and situations to illustrate your points.


AFTER READING THE PLAY 

Provide students with a variety of topics from which they can select a focus for a writing assignment. If students have been 

allowed to respond to characters and events in the play on a personal level, perhaps in the form of journal writing as the 

play was read, they can develop these topics into a critical expository essay. 

Suggested essay topics: 

• Determine if, in your opinion, the character of Prince Hamlet, is a believable one. 

• Compare and contrast the character of Hamlet to that of Horatio, Laertes, and/or Fortinbras. 

• Consider the women in the play, and assess Shakespeare’s portrayal of them. 

• Analyze Shakespeare’s use of subplots in this play. (Examples include the relationship between Polonius and his 

children and the political events in Denmark.) Discuss the strengths and/or weaknesses of this technique and 

determine if it was appropriate in this play. 

• Of the themes presented in Hamlet, decide which was most important and justify your selection. 

The commentaries included in the Signet Classic edition are especially useful with more advanced readers. These can be 

assigned for précis writing, journal responses, or both. 

Note: One way to organize the journal responses is to have students divide their journal page in half vertically, with the 

left side reserved for jotting down interesting or controversial statements made by the critics or provocative lines from the 

play, and the right side reserved for their own personal observations about these statements. In this way, the information 

is easily referenced for later use in class discussions, group projects, and/or writing assignments. 

Students can extend their learning by researching any aspect of Shakespeare’s theater. If this has been done extensively in 

a prior study of Shakespeare, students can research broader topics related to the play. Such topics might include parentchild 

relationships, stepfamilies, the supernatural, or the occult. 

Students can modernize selected portions of the play and perform these for class. Possible situations might include: 

Hamlet’s first encounter with his father’s ghost (I, iv), Hamlet’s third soliloquy (III, i), or the final death scene (V, ii). 

Involving students in artistic projects based on the play is an appropriate way to end the study. Most of the following ideas 

are easily adaptable to group work. 

• Mini-posters containing a quotation from the play with appropriate artwork or collages. 

• Collages focusing on an individual character or one of the themes of the play. 

• Dioramas/shadow boxes depicting a significant scene in the play. 

• Many parallels have been drawn between the character of Oedipus in Sophocles’s drama and that of Hamlet. Students 

can read Oedipus Rex and compare his plight to that of Hamlet’s. 

• Show a videotape or film of the play. Involve students in writing movie reviews of the production or in 

comparison/contrast papers based on the written drama and the video production. If time allows and different videos 

are available, allow students to compare/contrast these in writing and/or class discussion. 

Suggested questions for comparing the drama and video production: 

• Did the production look like what you imagined as you read the play? How was it similar? Different? 

• Which actor/actress best portrayed his/her character? Why? 

• How was the production different from the written drama? What decisions did the director make about staging? 

Were these effective decisions? 

Sylvan Barnet’s "Hamlet on Stage and screen," included in the Signet Classic edition is an excellent overview of the different 

stage and film presentations of Hamlet. Students can read the article and discuss or write about which presentation they 

believe would be the most effective.


Another way to utilize this article is to organize the class into small groups and present students with the task of "cutting" 

the drama to a length manageable for a television production, approximately two hours. Have them decide what portions 

of the play could be deleted and present their views before the class. 

Have students write a dialogue that might take place between Prince Hamlet and a psychologist. Small groups can write 

dialogue for therapy sessions that might take place at different stages during Hamlet’s mental turmoil, for example: 

• when he learns of his mother’s marriage to his uncle. 

• immediately after seeing his father’s ghost for the first time. 

• after killing Polonius. 

• when he learns of Rosencrantz’s and Guildenstern’s intentions. 

• after Ophelia’s funeral. 

The study and comparison of a modern work to that of Shakespeare can take students beyond the scope of Hamlet. Students 

can write comparison/contrast essays or prepare class presentations. An appropriate selection for such activities would 

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard, in which Hamlet is presented from an opposing viewpoint. 

SUGGESTED REFERENCES 

At the end of the Signet Classic edition is a list of suggested references on Shakespeare including biographical information, 

the Elizabethan theater, and Hamlet. 

TEACHING SHAKESPEARE 

Alling, Eliza. "Dear Will." Shakespeare Quarterly 25 (1974): pp. 264-271. 

Dean, James S. "What’s the Matter with Hamlet in the Schools." In Shakespeare in the Classroom: Resources and Media Aids, 

edited by A. McLean, pp. 16-30. Kenosha: UW-Parkside’s Center for Teaching Excellence, 1977. 

Hellenga, Robert R. "Hamlet in the Classroom." College English 35 (October 1973): pp. 32-39. 

Robinson, Randal. Unlocking Shakespeare’s Language: Help for the Teacher and Student. Urbana: National Council of 

Teachers of English, 1989. 

Sacks, Claire, and Whan, Edgar, eds. Hamlet: Enter Critic. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1960. 

HAMLET IN FILM 

Ashworth, John. "Olivier, Freud and Hamlet." Atlantic Monthly 183 (May 1949): pp. 30-33. 

Halio, Jay L. "Three Filmed Hamlets." Literature/Film Quarterly 1 (Fall 1973): pp. 316-320. 

BEYOND THE PLAY 

Students who are interested in the ideas presented in Shakespeare’s Hamlet can find adolescent novels which deal with 

these same ideas in more contemporary terms. The following sources are helpful to both teachers and students in locating 

books on various topics: 

Abrahamson, Richard F. and betty Carter, eds. Books for You: A Booklist for Senior High Students. Urbana: National Council 

of Teachers of English, 1988 

Davis, James E. and Hazel K. Davis, eds. Your Reading: A Booklist for Junior High and Middle School Students. Urbana: 

National Council of Teachers of English, 1988


ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF THIS GUIDE 

PATTI C. McWHORTER is Chair of the English Department at Cedar Shoals High School in Athens, Georgia. For over ten 

years she has been the editor of "Bookcorner," a column in the Counselor, a quarterly publication of the Georgia Council 

of Teachers of English. Her publications include articles and reviews for The ALAN Review, Georgia Journal, and English 

Journal. She has also served on NCTE’s committee to revise high Interest-Easy Reading and was president of the Georgia 

Council of Teachers of English. Patti received her undergraduate degrees and her Ed.D. from the University of Georgia.

ABOUT THE EDITORS OF THIS GUIDE 

W. GEIGER ELLIS, Professor Emeritus, University of Georgia, received his A.B. and M.Ed. degrees from the University of North Carolina 

(Chapel Hill) and his Ed.D. from the University of Virginia. His teaching focused on adolescent literature, having introduced the first 

courses on the subject at both the University of Virginia and the University of Georgia. He developed and edited The ALAN Review. 

ARTHEA (CHARLIE) REED, PH.D. is currently a long-term care specialist with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network and senior 

partner of Long-Term Care and Associates. From 1978 to 1996 she was a professor of education and chairperson of the Education 

Department at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. She is the author or co-author of 15 books in the fields of adolescent 

literature, foundations of education, and methods of teaching. She was the editor of The ALAN Review for six years and president of the 

Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English (ALAN). She is currently co-authoring the 5th 

edition of A Guide to Observation, Participation, and Reflection in the Classroom (McGraw-Hill 2004). She has taught almost every grade 

from second grade through doctoral candidates. She lives in Asheville, North Carolina with her husband Don, two dogs, and a cat. 

FREE TEACHER’S GUIDES 

A full list of Teacher’s Guides and Teacher’s Guides for the Signet Classic Shakespeare Series 

is available on Penguin’s website at: 

www.penguin.com/academic 

TEACHER’S GUIDES 

Animal Farm • Anthem • Beloved • Beowulf • The Call of the Wild • Cannery Row • City of God • The Country of the 

Pointed Firs and Other Stories • The Crucible • Death of a Salesman • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde • Dubliners • Ethan Frome • 

The Fountainhead • Girl in Hyacinth Blue • The Grapes of Wrath • A Journey to the Center of the Earth • The Jungle • 

The Life of Ivan Denisovich • Looking Backward • Lysistrata • Main Street • Of Mice and Men • The Mousetrap and 

Other Plays • A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave • Nectar in a Sieve • 1984 • The Odyssey • 

The Passion of Artemisia • The Pearl • Persuasion • The Prince and the Pauper • A Raisin in the Sun • The Red Pony • Redwall • 

The Scarlet Letter • The Scarlet Pimpernel • Silas Marner • A Tale of Two Cities • The Time Machine • Up from Slavery • 

The Women of Brewster Place • Wuthering Heights 

TEACHER’S GUIDES FOR THE SIGNET CLASSIC SHAKESPEARE SERIES 

Antony and Cleopatra • As You Like It • Hamlet • Henry V • Julius Caesar • King Lear • Macbeth • Measure for Measure • 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream • Much Ado About Nothing • Othello • Richard III • Romeo and Juliet • The Taming of 

the Shrew • The Tempest • Twelfth Night 

Visit the Penguin Group (USA) web site at www.penguin.com to browse all Signet Classic paperback editions 

and www.penguin.com/scessay for information about the Annual Signet Classic Scholarship Essay Contest

Hamlet TG - Penguin Group

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